This article was co-authored by Laura Marusinec, MD. Dr. Marusinec is a Board Certified Pediatrician at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, where she is on the Clinical Practice Council. She received her M.D. from the Medical College of Wisconsin School of Medicine in 1995 and completed her residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Pediatrics in 1998. She is a member of the American Medical Writers Association and the Society for Pediatric Urgent Care.

There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

Chikungunya fever is caused by a virus, which is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. The two specific groups of mosquitoes responsible for the spread of the virus are aedes aegypti and aedes albopictus. While the disease is far more common in Africa, Asia, and parts of India, cases have been reported in the Western Hemisphere in the last few years. The virus causes a high fever and moderate to severe joint pain around three to seven days after infection. Currently, there is no treatment for chikungunya fever and the only way to prevent it is to avoid mosquito bites. However, the virus is not usually serious and rarely fatal.[1]XTrustworthy SourceCenters for Disease Control and PreventionMain public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human ServicesGo to source

Look for a high fever. A high fever is one of the first symptoms of chikungunya. The fever typically ranges from 102 to 104 degrees °F (40 degrees °C). The fever often lasts between a few days and a week, and is usually gone before the 10th day.[2]XResearch source[3]XResearch source

Identify joint pain. It is often severe and disabling. It usually is bilateral (affecting both sides) and mostly affects the hands and feet. The lower limbs and back are less common sites of joint pain. Joint pain can last weeks and may linger up to a year or more in some rare cases. The term “chikungunya” translates to “that which bends up” in the Makonde dialect of Tanzania, which describes the physical appearance of a person with severe clinical features of the disease.

In most sufferers the joint pain will last for seven to ten days, however in older patients it may last for longer periods of time.[4]XResearch source

Some people will also have swelling of their joints, also called joint inflammation.

Check for a rash. The rash usually occurs after the onset of the fever and is usually maculopapular, which means it will appear as a flat, red area of skin covered with small bumps. It most commonly affects one’s torso and extremities. It can also appear on one’s palms, soles, and face.[5]XResearch source

Call your doctor if you think you may have chikungunya fever. If you have a fever, joint pain, and a rash, consult your doctor. As chikungunya is difficult to diagnose (and is often misdiagnosed as dengue fever), your doctor will make a diagnosis based on your symptoms, places you've traveled to recently, and by taking a sample of your blood for viral testing. The only way to truly confirm the presence of chikungunya fever, is through laboratory testing of blood serum or cerebrospinal fluid.

Blood testing for the virus is done at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and a few state health departments. Tests normally take around 4-14 days to process. By this time, your body has already begun attacking the chikungunya virus.[6]XTrustworthy SourceCenters for Disease Control and PreventionMain public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human ServicesGo to source

Treat the symptoms of the virus. There are no antiviral drugs designed to treat chikungunya fever itself, however your doctor may prescribe medication to alleviate the symptoms. Your doctor will also advise you to get plenty of bed rest and to drink a lot of fluids to fend off dehydration.[7]XTrustworthy SourceWorld Health OrganizationHealth information and news provided by the World Health OrganizationGo to source

For example, fever and joint aches can be managed with acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil), or naproxen (Aleve).[8]XTrustworthy SourceCenters for Disease Control and PreventionMain public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human ServicesGo to source

Do not take aspirin because of the increased risk of Reye’s syndrome — a rare but serious condition that causes liver and brain swelling, especially in children and teenagers.[9]XResearch source

Prevent chikungunya fever by avoiding mosquito bites. Currently, there is no commercial vaccine for chikungunya fever. Therefore, the only way to prevent the virus is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes, especially when traveling in areas where the disease is prevalent, such as Africa, Asia, and parts of the Indian subcontinent.[10]XTrustworthy SourceCenters for Disease Control and PreventionMain public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human ServicesGo to source If you are at high risk for complications, such as being pregnant or having other serious medical problems, try to avoid going to places with outbreaks if you can. To prevent mosquito bites:

Wear long sleeved shirts and and long pants when traveling in high-risk areas. If possible, treat your clothes with permethrin (a type of insecticide) to repel mosquitoes.

Use mosquito repellent on exposed skin, preferably one containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or paramenthane-diol (PMD), as these are the most effective and last the longest.

Make sure your living accommodations have tightly-fitted insect screens on windows and on doors. Sleep under an insecticide-treated bed net at night and use a net to protect young children and elderly people if they sleep during the day.[11]XTrustworthy SourceCenters for Disease Control and PreventionMain public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human ServicesGo to source

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Community Q&A

Dr. Wozniczka is an Internal Medicine Physician in Chicago, with global healthcare experience in Sub Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia. He completed his MD at Jagiellonian University in 2014, and also holds an MBA and Masters in Public Health from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Dr. Wozniczka is an Internal Medicine Physician in Chicago, with global healthcare experience in Sub Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia. He completed his MD at Jagiellonian University in 2014, and also holds an MBA and Masters in Public Health from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Yes. Platelet count reduction is the most critical symptom associated with dengue and chickungunya. The chikungunya virus attacks and destroys the blood platelets, hence the count drops. It is advisable to always monitor platelet count when a victim is suspected to have dengue or chikungunya fever.

About this article

This article was co-authored by Laura Marusinec, MD. Dr. Marusinec is a Board Certified Pediatrician at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, where she is on the Clinical Practice Council. She received her M.D. from the Medical College of Wisconsin School of Medicine in 1995 and completed her residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Pediatrics in 1998. She is a member of the American Medical Writers Association and the Society for Pediatric Urgent Care.

To recognize chikungunya fever, look for symptoms such as a fever between 102 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit, which will typically last for at least a few days. You may also notice severe and disabling joint pain that affects both sides of your body, especially in your hands and feet. Additionally, you may find that you've developed a flat, red rash, covered in small bumps, around your torso and extremities. Other symptoms to keep an eye out for include headache, muscle pain, conjunctivitis, nausea, and vomiting. If you think you might have chikungunya fever, call your doctor for an appointment and an official diagnosis. They will determine whether or not you have chikungunya fever based on your symptoms, where you've recently traveled, and a blood test. For more advice from our Medical co-author, like how to treat chikungunya fever, keep reading!

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 457,585 times.

Reader Success Stories

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Brian Ochieng

Mar 7, 2017

"I traveled to Mombasa, a hot coastal town in Kenya. After a month of my stay, I began experiencing malaise, nausea and fever. I knew it must have been a viral infection, poisoning or something else. Since this area is warmer, there are more mosquitoes, and I just needed to rule out the possibility of being infected with Chikungunya virus. This article has enlightened me greatly."..." more

HK

Harinder Kaur

Sep 17, 2016

"Yes, it is of great help as it explains the symptoms well and how to take care once the symptoms point towards chikungunya. My niece is troubled by it."..." more

CJ

Chelsi J.

Sep 2, 2016

"Thanks for letting me know about symptoms, and now I'm sure to not get hospitalized."

RB

Renil Briol

Dec 8, 2016

"It's a big help. By reading this article I had more ideas to prevent this."

"I traveled to Mombasa, a hot coastal town in Kenya. After a month of my stay, I began experiencing malaise, nausea and fever. I knew it must have been a viral infection, poisoning or something else. Since this area is warmer, there are more mosquitoes, and I just needed to rule out the possibility of being infected with Chikungunya virus. This article has enlightened me greatly."..." more

HK

Harinder Kaur

Sep 17, 2016

"Yes, it is of great help as it explains the symptoms well and how to take care once the symptoms point towards chikungunya. My niece is troubled by it."..." more

CJ

Chelsi J.

Sep 2, 2016

"Thanks for letting me know about symptoms, and now I'm sure to not get hospitalized."

RB

Renil Briol

Dec 8, 2016

"It's a big help. By reading this article I had more ideas to prevent this."